When Government Is Not the Solution: The Role of Community Organizations in Outreach

Abstract

Trust between government entities and the public is critical; without it, communities become paralyzed in their ability to act collectively and for the greater good. Establishing and maintaining this trust, however, can be difficult. The outreach and coproduction performed by the coalition of organizations described in this article provide examples of how to address several interrelated problems of public distrust in the government. When viewed in their proper light, these examples enrich the theoretical understanding of contract failure theory. Rather than take advantage of their advantages in power, governments increasingly leverage the power of reciprocity to accomplish their goals by relying on preexisting community trust in nonprofits. Self-interest well understood is a critical component of this reciprocal relationship: it works best when government secures resources, funding, and access to policy processes, in return for nonprofit resources such as service delivery, political support, buy-in, and legitimacy. In this indirect way, nonprofit coproduction can help to foster perceptions of legitimacy and trust in government.